Motorists Should Go Back To Driving School

Posted on November 6th, 2009 by admin, under Driving Research and Statistics.

It is funny how rapidly learner drivers’ knowledge of Highway Code may deteriorate after they have passed their theory test with flying colours. Only three per cent of driving license holders would re-pass their theory test, if they had to take it tomorrow, according to a new road safety research.

The research in question was carried out by one of the biggest price comparison sites moneysupermarket.com. It was based on an online poll of more than 1,500 British drivers. The poll exposed really worrying road safety picture with only three per cent of those polled able to recognise the simplest rules and signs from the Highway Code.

As far as road signs are concerned, only half of British drivers were aware that 30 mph speed limit sign indeed means the driver has to slow down and adhere to the limit. 65 per cent of polled motorists failed to correctly identify the sign for ‘no vehicles’. 39 percent of them had no idea about the meaning of the sign and 21 percent understood it as ‘obey next warning sign’. About 7 per cent of drivers were unable to recognise the sign ‘oncoming vehicles have the right of way over you’.

The poll further found that 23 percent of drivers did not know pedestrians should be their main priority when turning into a side road. One of the most worrying unawareness of rules was how motorists would perform U-turn. 23 per cent of drivers would look over their shoulder first! Only a quarter of motorists would do signalling so other drivers can slow down.

It seems that after obtaining their driving license drivers never brush up on their knowledge of the Highway Code. This may wind up causing accident on the road or worse. Motorists are required by law to conform to the rules from the Highway Code, or otherwise they could be fined, given penalty points or disqualified from driving.

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